Author Archives: Jason

What’s not to love about the city of Austin, TX? Beyond being the capital of Texas, Austin boasts being the “live music capital of the world”. The city is filled with eclectic music venues, great restaurants, and funky shops, one of which is our very own crown jewel retailer, Dogadillo. (Who can’t love that name?)

Dogadillo, is a family affair with owners Mike, wife Lauren and daughter Lisa leading the pack when it comes to premium dog boutiques in Texas. Having been in business for over 4.5 years, they are tenacious at finding the best quality foods and products available on the market today. Owner Mike Conrad is a former biochemist which lends itself well to his discriminating eye for only premium ingredients when it comes to looking out for the health and well being of your pet.

For the Conrads, hanging out in Town Lake proves to be one of their favorite things to do. With amazing trails, an off-leash park for your buddy, and lots of opportunities to take a dip in the wet stuff, it's an outdoor enthusiast's dream. When asked about their favorite part of their job they said “Getting to meet new people, playing with dogs everyday, and turning customers into friends”. It’s no wonder Dogadillo was named Retailer of the Year for Outstanding Pet Boutique 2011/2012 from Pet Product News International. And it’s no wonder why the Dublin Dog Co is so proud to have them as an official retailer of our products. 12912 Hill Country Blvd. F155 Austin, TX 78738. (512) 402-WOOF.

As part of growing our blog community, Dublin Dog Co will start to test and review products submitted from our fan base. Our goal is share great products, be those for humans or for our dogs that we may all benefit from. First on the list is one that I have personally been trying over the last 3-4 months, the Kuranda Dog Bed. As many of you know, I'm the proud owner of a 65lb female German Shepherd Dog, "Kona" as well as an 85lb lab mix named "Jake" (the profile for our logo). Both dogs have started to crest the proverbial "hill" into old age with Kona being 9 and Jake being 10. As with many GSD's, Kona experiences some hip and joint issues, yet she is still as spry and puppy-like when it comes to chasing sticks and running after bunnies. However her recovery can take longer after extended days of play and romping.

Jake on the other hand has what I like to refer to as a sprinkle problem. That's right, he's a leaker. It appears in his older age he has become incontinent. While we have him on an aggressive regimen of Proin 3x a day, the positive effects are starting to wane. The result is the frustrating and disconcerting reality that he leaks all over his bed, our oriental rugs, the hardwoods, and everywhere else he decides to rest. While we certainly don't blame him for his malady, there is no getting around the constant struggle to keep the house clean, Jake clean, and mopping up everywhere he goes. While "male wraps" have been employed, we hate to have that on him all the time. And his bed, oh dear heavens. It was becoming a sponge for odor and urine, as even his wrap would eventually bleed through.

Welome the Kuranda Bed. These beds offer both orthopedic comfort for the dog by keeping them elevated off the ground through a supportive woven fabric that is supported by an indestructible PVC pipe frame that comes in both Almond and Walnut, or aluminum if you so desire. There other benefit of these beds are the fact that they breathe, in that they allow air to flow through the material based on which material you choose from their selection of 40 oz. Vinyl, Ballistic Nylon, Cordura, or a vinyl weave all in a variety of colors. We chose the vinyl weave as it allows for the most air flow and is extremely easy to clean with a hose. While it can't cure Jake's incontinence, it does allow for a more sanitary environment while also doing wonderful things for his joints.

While they did not initially take to sleeping in the beds for long periods, they have grown to really enjoy them. There are also fleece covers that you can purchase for the beds (think pillow top) to make them even more comfortable. These are a great option for dog owners who would like an alternative to traditional mattress style beds, or who may have dogs with joint problems, allergies, or incontinence. We're big fans of these beds and this company as they do a lot for shelters and rescues as well. Kudos to Kuranda!

At Dublin Dog Co, we realize our business and our products are only as good as the retailers and distributors who help promote them. So going forward, we want to help put the spotlight on those business who do it right and live out the Dublin Dog philosophy of creating your own luck and making a difference to our customers and dog lovers everywhere.

Our first feature is on Ketchum, Idaho's very own, Thunderpaws Pet Shoppe. Nestled right in the heart of main street Ketchum, owner Hurley Hamilton has spent the last twelve years catering to dog lovers and outdoor enthusiasts all around the Wood River Valley. Hurley focuses on giving back to her wonderful surroundings as much as she can by supporting the Wood River Valley Animal Shelter as well as the Environment Resource Center (ERC). Being a lover of the outdoors herself, Hurley loves skiing in the Winter with her granddaughter and hanging out at her cabin in the Summer. Being that Ketchum is a small town, Hurley has the benefit of walking to work with her dog and is only 5 minutes away from the forest. So when pressed about her favorite place in Ketchum, she quickly responded with "everywhere".

Thunderpaws focuses on environmentally sustainable products and tries to rely on those made in the USA whenever possible. They share the Dublin Dog passion for getting out and getting active and Hurley Hamilton and her team do that with flare. Just take a look at their "Paw and Pole" event and you tell me if they're committed to making the most of your surroundings. Ineed, Hurley Hamilton and the staff at Thunderpaws have the right outlook on life, on their customers, and their pets. " I love having earned my grey hair, I no longer have to try so hard to be right about so many things. Age does mellow a person", says Hamilton. We know one thing for sure, when it comes to being RIGHT about great products and great nutrition, Thunderpaws in Ketchum Idaho is the place to go. We appreciate you and your great team!

Dublin Dog Co was just featured in the July Edition of Outside Magazine. The feature is called "The Outside Guide to Dogs" and I highly recommend grabbing a copy if you enjoy doing fun activities outside with your dog. Learn such things as: 1) Adventure Training 101 2)There are no unteachable dogs 3) Choose your adventure: sport specific tips for worry free play and of course 4) Gear of the Dog featuring the best equipment for your companion's next adventure including the Original All Style, No Stink "Tahitian Sky" collar for your's truly! It's cool to be the only product on the actual dog. Lucky Bastards!

The latest contest from Dublin Dog Co just kicked off today. We're looking for the quintessential happy go lucky (emphasis on lucky) dog. So send us your best video of your dog utilizing one of our Dublin Dog Co products (All Style, No Stink Collars, eco-Lucks, or Roxxter toy) for your chance at winning over $350 in prizes, including a $250 gift card from Amazon.com. Visit the "I'm a Dublin Dog" registration page today to enter. This promises to be one of the most fun contests we've run to date. So enjoy, have fun, and show us how lucky you and your best friend REALLY are.

Dublin Dog Co is now offering sales up to 5o% off our "Original All Style, No Stink" dog collars in select colors. These include the incredibly popular Confession, Chai Latte, and Sangria, as well as the entire Camo Couture Collection as well. Why in the world would we do such a thing you ask? Easy. We want to continue to update our color offerings, keeping things fresh and fun. As such, we are doing new colors for the Arrgyle Collection as well as the Neapolitan. So if you want a few spare collars just in time for Summer, or know of another lucky dog (and owner) who could benefit from our 100% waterproof dog collars, please send them the following link for amazing savings. Offer good while supplies last.

Guinness, aka "Earthquake Dog" is a stout 6- year old Irish Wolfhound who recently received a Local Hero Medal as part of the 2012 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards. Guinness and owner, 37 year old Sean Scully worked 12-hour days for three weeks as they both worked tirelessly in Christchurch's shattered eastern suburbs after the February earthquake.

Sean,who is also a medallist, said Guinness was very proud of himself and hoped the award would "increase his luck with the bitches at the dog park". Ah yes, we do too Guinness, we do too you lucky dog. Emma Mcdonald, spokeswoman for New Zealander of the Year Awards, said Guinness was the first animal to receive a Local Hero Award. He would most likely also be the last, she added.

Ever wonder what your dog is trying to tell you as they bark at what appears to be nothing? For Jake, my lab mix, barking is a non-stop activity and heaven forbid if there's a toy or leash around! Here are the 10 most common barks and what they typically mean as provided by K9 Magazine.

1. Continuous rapid barking, midrange pitch: “Call the pack! There is a potential problem! Someone is coming into our territory!” Continuous barking but a bit slower and pitched lower: “The intruder [or danger] is very close. Get ready to defend yourself!”

2. Barking in rapid strings of three or four with pauses in between, midrange pitch: “I suspect that there may be a problem or an intruder near our territory. I think that the leader of the pack should look into it.”

3. Prolonged or incessant barking, with moderate to long intervals between each utterance: “Is there anybody there? I’m lonely and need companionship.” This is most often the response to confinement or being left alone for long periods of time.

4. One or two sharp short barks, midrange pitch: “Hello there!” This is the most typical greeting sound.

5. Single sharp short bark, lower midrange pitch: “Stop that!” This is often given by a mother dog when disciplining her puppies but may also indicate annoyance in any dog, such as when disturbed from sleep or if hair is pulled during grooming and so forth.

6. Single sharp short bark, higher midrange: “What’s this?” or “Huh?” This is a startled or surprised sound. If it is repeated two or three times its meaning changes to “Come look at this!” alerting the pack to a novel event. This same type of bark, but not quite as short and
sharp, is used to mean “Come here!”

Many dogs will use this kind of bark at the door to indicate that they want to go out. Lowering the pitch to a relaxed midrange means “Terrific!” or some other similar expletive, such as “Oh, great!” My cairn terrier, for example, who loves to jump, will give this single bark of joy when sent over the high jump. Other dogs give this same bark when given their food dish.

7. Single yelp or very short high-pitched bark: “Ouch!” This is in response to a sudden, unexpected pain.

8. Series of yelps: “I’m hurting!” “I’m really scared” This is in response to severe fear and pain.

9. Stutter-bark, midrange pitch: If a dog’s bark were spelled “ruff,” the stutter-bark would be spelled “ar-ruff.” It means “Let’s play!” and is used to initiate playing behavior.

10. Rising bark: This is a bit hard to describe, although once you’ve heard it, it is unmistakable. It is usually a series of barks, each of which starts in the middle range but rises sharply in pitch – almost a bark-yelp, though not quite that high. It is a play bark, used during rough-and- tumble games, that shows excitement and translates as “This is fun!”

Great video of a day in the life of a dog. Using the super cool Go Pro video system, this gives you a dog's eye view of the ins and outs of being a lucky dog. Pulled together by Dave Meinert with the incredible handwork of "Lemon" the dog, this video is full of fun and good time. Great music selection as well.

Check out Mickey with his Roxxter from Dublin Dog Co. The more videos we get on this, the more we find that dogs just go nuts for the wild action of this toy. They are a lot of fun, both with & without treats. We especially love the ending of this video where Mickey shows off his skills. Great fan contribution, we love it, and of course we love Mickey!